Sorry to have been rather incommunicado over the last two months! It has been my joy over that period to have been busy in rehearsals for a production of The Pajama Game with the relatively new Marin Musical Theatre Company. The last time I performed in a musical was about 1990, while still living in Los Angeles, and I'd forgotten how much fun it is to sing, dance, and ham it up in a musical. An added benefit of this production has been the immense pleasure of working with some very lovely people, who also happen to be our neighbors here in Marin County! We opened last weekend and have three more performances next weekend.
Those who attend our coffee gatherings like to focus upon local politics, but a wide variety of topics are usually raised. Our discussions are always respectful, even when they get a bit heated. My preference for objectivity that grants validity to any honestly-held viewpoint tends to goad members of the group who take a more dogmatic approach, but still my opinions are requested when we meet. Thankfully, diplomacy is not dead, even during discourse fueled by caffeine!
My own politics are Christian Libertarian, which means that I advocate for minimal government involvement in the daily lives of citizens, economic markets that are as free and fair as possible, a strong national defense that does not double as an international police force, the freedom of religious people to worship and perform charitable works, and the protection of all human life from conception to natural death. I do not vote along any strict party line, preferring to weigh each candidate and issue against my core values and vote either for the best option (ideally) or the lesser evil (unfortunately the usual choice).
As with most American political topics, I find it impossible to be absolutely for or against labor unions. There have been instances in which workers have been abused and could only find relief through union advocacy. As well, union over-reach (greed) has wreaked havoc upon some companies and industries. Often, there are clear advantages, for both industry and labor, to have unions negotiating contracts and managing benefits for employees, particularly when workers in an industry are necessarily migratory. An excellent example of this is the entertainment industry, in which most of the workers are employed by many different production companies during their careers, such that their unions can provide them with relative stability in earnings and benefits.
It is no wonder, then, that a Broadway musical and Hollywood film like The Pajama Game would take a pro-union stance. As someone who benefits from her spouse's labor union (Marty is a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, or I.A.T.S.E., Local 16), how could I have a problem with that?
Okay, enough politics for the time being. In my next posting, I'll get back to recounting recent travel adventures.
Annie
"Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen." -- Conan O'Brien
